Negative attitudes towards people with mental illness are found among medical personnel. The nursing psychiatric training module is structured in different ways at different universities in the country. The aim of this study was to investigate nurses´ and nursing students´ attitudes towards patients with a mental illness with two questions: What is the importance of different underlying factors of nurses' attitudes? Is it possible to influence these attitudes and if so in what ways? The method was a literature study, where qualitative and quantitative articles were studied and compared. The theoretical frame of reference, which was used, was Parse´s nursing theory and the social psychological theory The Tripartite Model of Attitude Change. The results showed that fear, ignorance and inexperience were the main factors behind the negative attitudes. Successful strategies for improving attitudes, according to the results, are practical experience and training, increased contact with persons with mental illness, theoretical training and organizational support in the workplace. The organizational support may take the form of mentoring and professional support in their everyday work. Our recommendation is that all universities with nursing education should have a common line, where practice with supervision and reflective seminars are predominant.